


SasuHina Month Day Eight || Mermaid AU

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: SasuHina Month 2019 [8]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drowning, F/M, Gen, Mermaids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 07:17:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20170330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: When Hinata and her friends end up capsized in a storm, they're at the mercy of the lake. But thankfully, something - or someONE - is lurking beneath the water and willing to help.





	SasuHina Month Day Eight || Mermaid AU

How did it come to this?

Tucked up against a tree, the only shelter she can find, Hinata huddles as best she’s able out of the pouring rain. Not that there’s much use in it...she’s already sopping wet and chilled, shaking and shivering as the wind blows and thunder rumbles.

She knew this was a bad idea...she knew it! But no one ever listens to her. No one ever takes her observations into account.

...and now...for all she knows...her friends have all drowned. And she has no idea where she is.

It was meant to be a weekend getaway. Ino’s parents have a cabin on a lake just an hour north of their hometown. It’s the Summer after high school graduation. The three of them - plus Neji’s girlfriend Tenten - all decided to take one of the last weekends before their new school careers began and have one last retreat by the water.

Yesterday had been wonderful. A perfect sunny day filled with water and tanning. They even got to take the jet skis out for a while, zooming across the water’s surface like skipping stones. Then dinner at a lakeshore resort, and a campfire back on the beach.

And then...they’d woken to thunderheads on the horizon.

Hinata preached caution. Storms on the lake often whipped the water into a frenzy. It wouldn’t be safe. But the other three wanted to take the boat out across the lake to another fancy restaurant before they would leave the following morning. No matter her insistence the storm would hit before they got there...no one listened.

...they were in the middle of the water when it came upon them. Waves came up as the wind churned, and the bow clipped into the rising waters. Before any of them knew what was happening...the boat capsized. All four were tossed into the depths, at the wind and currents’ mercy. Though all capable swimmers, they were quickly overwhelmed.

Hinata had struggled to keep her head above water...but in the end, fell unconscious. Next thing she knew...she woke up along the edge of the beach, likely washed up as the waves pushed her inland. Frightened, alone, and having no idea where she was...she did all she could do: crawl up from the water and wait.

Guilt sits heavy in the bottom of her stomach. Maybe she could have been more forceful. Refused to go. Maybe they would have listened, but...she knows they probably would have just left her behind. Then she’d be feeling even worse. True, they were wearing life jackets...but those can only do so much against the wrath of stormy water, at the mercy of the lake for miles in any direction…

Hugging her knees, Hinata does her best to keep her mind blissfully blank, not wanting to give rise to panic. For now...there’s nothing she can do. She just...has to wait out the storm, see if anyone comes looking along this part of the shore. She should conserve her energy, limbs already lethargic from trying to fight the waves. Her biggest concern is getting chilled, what with her wet clothes and the whipping wind. But there’s really nothing to be done about it. It’s not like she can even begin to start a fire. And this strip of beach doesn’t seem to have any cabins, too steep and rocky to be of much recreational use.

Staring over her kneecaps at the water, her head raises an inch as she notices...something in the water. For a moment it just looks like debris floating haphazardly among the waves. But then she realizes...it’s a person!

Scrambling to her feet, she gasps as she recognizes Ino. Crashing out into the water, she drags her friend inland, finding her - by some miracle - to be breathing. “Oh my god! Ohhh my god, um -”

...wait, is that -?

Within a matter of minutes all three of her friends somehow float to her beach, all somehow still alive, afloat as their life vests keep them bobbing. Too tired to pull and their bodies too heavy, Hinata can only sit by them near the water, looking desperately out for anyone else daring to brave the waves.

...but there’s no one.

How...how did they all come to this same spot? Currents, maybe? And yet...that still seems so lucky. Ankle-deep in water, Hinata keeps a vigilant eye for passersby.

...and then she sees one more.

For a moment, she wonders if someone else happened to crash. But rather than bobbing loosely in the water, they just...stare at her from one spot. How are they…?

Hesitating, Hinata takes a small step back as they dip below the surface. A shadow approaches, and she topples over with a cry as a man just...swims right up to her! Trying to crawl backwards through the sand, she pants in shock as her brain tries to catch up. Because...that’s a man’s torso. He braces up atop his palms along the edge. But...but…?

...he’s got a tail.

Like...a whale’s tail.

“...are you all right?”

She stares, unable to reply.

“...I brought you your friends. Are they…?”

“T...they’re alive…”

“...good. I’m trying to find another boat...but no one else is out yet.”

Another silence...then, “Y...you’re a...a-a…?”

There’s a huff of amusement. “...mermallian. Technically...I should be in a lot of trouble for approaching you. But I don’t like seeing humans drown. I think it’s worth the risk.”

“...I w-won’t tell anyone. Just...thank you. For saving my friends. Did you...find me, too?”

“I did. Foolish to be on a boat in a storm.”

“It...wasn’t my idea.”

Folding his arms and lying on his stomach with propping elbows, the creature responds, “You’d be surprised how many your age end up in the same situation. Youthful ignorance.”

In spite of herself, Hinata lets her cheeks puff. “...I said it w-wasn’t my idea.”

“And yet you went.”

“...I’m not here to be - to be lectured!”

“Just want to be sure you understand how dumb that was. You were lucky I found you.”

“...I know.”

“...what’s your name?”

“...Hinata.”

“Sasuke.”

“Nice to, um...meet you.”

His lips flicker in a smile. “...stay here. I’ll keep looking for boats.”

“W-wait!”

“What?”

“...I…”

“Your friends will wake up soon. The fewer people who see me, the better. Just stay out of the water, and you’ll be fine.”

Watching him go, Hinata wilts.

Well...time to wait. And wonder if she’ll see him again before rescue comes.

**Author's Note:**

> All righty, into the second week we go! I love mermaid AUs, personally - this COULD be said to be in my original monster verse Nightwalkers, which is why Sasuke hinted at it being bad for him to interact with a human. He'd get in biiig trouble if someone found out. But he's got a soft spot for any unlucky humans that happen to get thrown overboard in his lake.
> 
> Lucky for Hinata and company, he decided to lend a hand!
> 
> Maybe not overtly shippy, but...again, I'm trying to keep these a little shorter as not to burn out or overwork a bad wrist. Maybe I'll add more to this someday! As if my WIP pile isn't big enough, lol
> 
> But yeah, that's all for now! Thanks for reading n_n


End file.
